leveling up
Categories: anime
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I should be working on my report… but… I decided to take a break instead. One thing that I noticed over the past few years is how popular anime has become in America. When my local Best Buy is advertising Mahoromatic DVDs for $19.99 and PBS was running Evangelion and Lain, I know it’s becoming less and less for the hardcore fanboys out there.
It still doesn’t mean all fanboys are created equal. Here’s a little something to help gauge your fanboyedness:
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I also like to call this the WB group since the only anime they are familiar with has been shown on some major American broadcasting network. Pikachu, Sailormoon, Foxaflowne, Megaman EX… errr… NT Warrior, and maybe even Mac… errr… Robotech are their primary shows. They really aren’t fanboys since the only anime they have seen has been nicely “localized” by the execs at some major American TV company. They have no clue what Japanese sounds like. They don’t post on message boards, but they do bug their moms for money to buy another back of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Most likely people in this group would own a GBA, just to play Pokemon.
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A steady diet of cable TV has expanded your palette to include the likes of Gundam Wing, Cowboy Bebop, G Gundam, Inu Yasha, Original Gundam, Crest of the Stars, Tenchi, Zeta Gundam, and– gag– DBZ. What these shows have in similiar besides being shown on Cartoon Network and TechTV is that they are all action-oriented and generally appeal to males 10-30. This group may also– if curious– actually buy an anime DVD and listen to the original language before quickly switching back to dubs. Some members of this group venture out to discover fansubs just to watch Gundam SEED. It’s a giant step.
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They generally visit the granddaddy of all anime websites at least once a week. This group is generally split between subs vs. dubs, though they do understand the value of leaving stuff unedited from its original condition. Their buying/viewing habits are easily swayed by reviews since they generally have no other way to find out what’s good/bad. They are the primary target audience of Newtype USA. They expand past the mindless action genre to discover popular Japanese shows like Love Hina, Kare Kano, Hellsing, Utena, and– gasp– may even watch some Disneyfied Ghibli movie. This group may actually use some sort of anime image for their wallpaper as well as read manga. At least Tokyopop “manga.” This group will also start posting on anime forums about topics– gasp– other than “are those Sailor Moon chicks lesbos?”.
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This group consists of the original otakus that dominated 10 years ago or so. They fansub using VCRs and BetaMAX, but they are still going strong today eagerly awaiting their favorites on DVD but saddened that companies care more about Noir than Ranma. Don’t cry for them though– Macross still looks great, and it sure beats watching Robotech. This group may also own laserdisc players and are desperately trying to prevent laser rot on their precious Oh My Goddess! OVA lds. They enjoy playing Crono Trigger on their SNES. Like laserdiscs, they are a dying breed, but they are the trailblazers.
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This group generally shuns dubs and any attempts to “localize” their precious anime. They generally like stuff that aren’t popular in the US but popular in Japan and can appreciate good anime over “that DBZ POS.” Sister Princess, Mamotte Shugogetten, Azumanga Daioh, Fruits Baskets, Hoshi no Koe, and Child’s Toy complement the standard level 4 viewing diets. This group is more likely to be into the digisubbing scene as well as importing dvds/manga from Japan, especially OSTs and Ghibli movies. They are also more likely to have some sort of anime mechandise that isn’t some Gundam model. They tend to post things like “Love Hina manga >> anime” and “topic locked cuz onegai hussy is lame.” Fanboy-tama-tachi also have their favorite Japanese seiyuus as well start amassing large mp3 collections of their favorite OP/EDs. They may also own their own anime URL/website.
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For people who enjoy anime full of seksuisu meido… like Mahoromatic and Ai Yori Aoshi and Jiiya-sama. ‘Nuff said. Really.
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This group generally reads manga that no one in the states have ever heard about and watch shows that presently air in Japan. Angel/Dust, Kanon, Crayon Shin-chan, Twin Girls… not obscure enough for them. That dude in Aa! Megami-sama chapter 2? That’s them. And they know what I’m talking about.
5 Responses to “leveling up”
Wow. It’s kind of hard to place where I am. I watch Pokemon if I catch it, but I don’t think I’m level 1. I appreciate some of the Level 2 stuff. I own DVDs of some of the Level 3 and Level 4 anime. I also visit forums, though not extremely popular ones. I enjoy Chrono Trigger, but don’t own a Laser Disc player. I also watch Level 5 stuff, and I own both English and Japanese manga among other memorobilia that isn’t a Gundam model. I like sexy maids from Level 6. The only thing I’m not sure I fit into is Level 7. I’ll leave that all up to Senbei. *lafs maniacally*
Hey, I resent that.
Actually I would peg myself as a 5 or 6 and I hope to Kami-sama I never reach 7. I do like Foxaflowne and Robotech, but mind you watching things like that is maybe a once a year thing. Among level 2 the only thing I can say I “watch” is Inu Yasha and Bebop, but no, I rarely if ever subject myself to the dubs (the sad part is, I probably would if I had cable). On bad days I might fall into the 3 or 4 categories but not very often. Although I’ve never asked myself “Where’s Marie..?” I often do say similiar stupid phrases that only otaku could appreciate. On good days I’ll let myself watch Mahoro and AYA and I love Kanon but I don’t think I read anything more obscure than “Quarter Iceshop,” so according to this scale (and not having seen the images either) I would place myself solidly at 6. I wonder how close I am to the point of no return… j00 d34d f00… “MIYAZAWA!!!!”
BTW, my friend said he was a 5 but I know for a fact that he visits animeondvd once a day.
I’m definitely a Level Six (Jiiya!!!), slipping evermore into Level Seven each passing hours, corrupting others into Level Five status whenever I can.
I don’t need to ask the question, “Where’s Marie.” Why? Because like a good Anyue-sama, I know exactly where she is! ^-^
What’re you talking about, Narg? You’re definitely a Level 7. You keep posting images from these series in Japan that nobody has ever heard of before. ^_^
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